Languages & Social Sciences: Frequently Asked Questions

There may be occasions when your ability to study and complete assessments/examinations is affected by circumstances beyond your normal control.

These circumstances may include health problems, personal/family issues or financial constraints. It is important that you discuss these issues with the appropriate person e.g. your personal tutor or advisor, year tutor, programme director or exams representative for the department. If you have long term health issues, you may be directed to the Disability Team to discuss the support that may be available to you. Alternatively, you may be advised to submit an exceptional circumstances form, on which you can explain your situation to your Exam Board and reasonable adjustments may be made if applicable. These are available to fill out online (follow the link) or from the Languages and Social Sciences Reception – MB775.

It is essential that you discuss any issues with your School as soon as possible so that the appropriate support mechanisms can be put in place. Waiting until the end of the academic year before approaching your School will limit the options available.

As each case is individual, the response time and outcome do vary. However, the Examinations and Assessments Team will keep aim to contact you with relevant information when and if possible, if this is not applicable, a letter will be sent to your home address after the panel has met and agreed on a decision. Panels meet at the end of TP1, and TP2.

The Board of Examiners meet at the end of each academic year to examine the overall programme profile of each LSS student. They then make a decision regarding progression on to the next stage/year/level of the programme.

If a student has failed, dependent on the number of credits failed, the outcome could be referral (retake) over the summer, repeat the year or the module could be condoned (the fail mark would stand but the credits achieved). This decision is at the discretion of the Board on an individual student basis.

Board decisions and the details of the referred assessment are communicated to students after the Exam Boards have sat, where it is made very clear how the student is to proceed on the programme. The Final Year exam board sits in June, and the First, Second and Placement Year board sits in July.

Placement year: In making decisions regarding student progression the Board of Examiners is unlikely to jeopardise your placement year therefore there are a number of other options that the Board can choose from regarding the missing credits, in line with the Undergraduate General Regulations.

If you feel that your performance in your studies has been affected by circumstances beyond your control, you need to submit an application for Exceptional Circumstances. This is the procedure for dealing with missed assessments/affected assessments due to circumstances beyond your control.

You are able to request a replacement papercopy of your transcript by emailing the Examinations and Assessment Team at: lss_supportandassessement@aston.ac.uk. Please be sure to send your request at least a week before the date you need it.

Once the transcript request has been received a member of the Examinations and Assessment Team will contact you to confirm receipt and let you know when it is expected to be completed. Once a member of the Team has confirmed completion you will be able to collect your replacement transcript from the LSS Reception (MB775).

Please note that we are unable to send transcripts by email.

This information is for current students only. If you have graduated from Aston, please see How can I get a replacement transcript? (Alumni)

Please contact the Examinations and Assessment Team at lss_assessment@aston.ac.uk. They will send you a transcript request form, and confirm if they are able to access your old student record and carry out the request. They will confirm once your transcript has been posted out to you (unless you have requested to collect).

Please note that we are unable to send transcripts by email.

*Disclaimer -we may not still hold your record if you graduated more than 10 years ago.

The LSS submissions calendar is published on Blackboard each academic year. For Undergraduates, you can find this in the following location LSS Undergraduate Information -> Assessment. For Postgraduates, you can find this in the following location LSS Postgraduate Programmes -> Assignments Submissions.

Your coursework submission dates for all LSS-taught modules will also be published on your MAP page under 'Assessment dates and cover sheets'.

If you are on a joint honours programme then please contact the School responsible for administrating the module for more details.

Your grounds for appeal must fall into one or more of the following categories:

that the student’s performance was adversely affected by illness or other specific factors which s/he was unable for valid reasons to submit to the Board of Examiners before it reached its decision. (It will be very difficult to appeal under these grounds as all students are required to bring extenuating circumstances to the prior attention of the Board of Examiners, and accordingly, evidence would be required that there were very good reasons for failing to notify the Board of Examiners of any factors affecting their work e.g. a medical condition diagnosed after the meeting of the Board.

that there has been an administrative error or that some other material irregularity relevant to the assessments has occurred.

that the assessment procedure and/or examinations were not conducted in accordance with the approved regulations.

You should note that there is no right of appeal against the academic judgement of examiners. Disagreement with the academic judgement of a Board of Examiners in assessing the merits of an individual piece of work or in reaching a decision on a student’s progress or on the final level of an award, based on the marks, grades and other information relating to the student’s performance, cannot in itself constitute grounds for an appeal.

Please note that your academic marks are also only provisional, until confirmed by the Board of Examiners. Therefore if you had grounds for appeal (see above), you could only go through the Academic Appeals Procedure only once the Board of Examiners have met and you have received your final results formally from us at the end of the academic year.

The Postgraduate Admissions Officer – Virginia Soriano-Chico is the main contact for queries regarding Postgraduate programmes. You are able to meet with her through the Languages and Social Sciences Reception – MB775 or alternatively, you may email her at: v.soriano-chico@aston.ac.uk

You will need to follow the link on your MAP page 'Leaving Aston or taking a break from your studies', then follow the link 'Request a suspension of study (Leave of Absence)'. Please contact LSS_programmesupport@aston.ac.uk if you would like to discuss this option further.